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HANSOM GAB.

No. 370,352. Patented Sept. 20, 1887.

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HANSOM GAB.

No.3'70,352. Pate n tedSeptZ O, 1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES GLIFTON ROBINSON, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

HANSOM-CAB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 370,352, datedSeptember 20, 1887.

Application filed July 14, 1887. Serial No. 244,317. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES CLIFTON ROBIN- SON, of London, England, haveinvented an Improvement in Hansom-Cabs, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to hansom-cabs capable of being converted intoclosed or open cabs at pleasure, and has for its object to simplify theconstruction and render them capable of being operated with facility andexpedition, the parts being so arranged and combined that there is butlittle tendency to rattling, and so that the driver can operate all theparts without descending from his seat.

The nature of my invention will be understood from the followingdescription and the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure 1 is a sideelevation of the cab when closed. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the cabwhen open. Fig. 3 shows in detail the levers at back of cab forreleasing the windows. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan showing thearrangement for closing the windows.

The hood-roof or upper portion, which folds back, is made in two parts,D and C, separated and entirely disconnected from each other by atransverse division, the part D consisting of the front portion of thehood or root and the front posts and the part of the top of thewindow-frames, and the other part, 0, consisting of the hinder part ofthe hood or roof and the other portions of the top of the window-framesand theupper part A of the back, which is hinged at a to the lower partA of the back at the lower side, and is also hinged to the binder partof the hood or roof at the upper side. The upper parts B of the pillars,forming the backward sides of the window-frames, are hinged at b to thelower parts B of the pillars, and are connected by cords, chains, orgearing, as shown, to the folding portion A of the back, so that as thesaid folding portion of the back and the back part, 0, of the hood orroof are turned down the upper parts B of the posts are also turned downto lie in front of the lower portions B of the said pillars, and thatwhen the said folding portion of the back is raised with the back part,0, of the hood or roof, the said upper parts 13 of the pillars arebrought into line with the lower parts B. i

I have shown in Figs. -1 and 2 an arrangement consisting of a set oftoothed wheels A, the wheel 1 being fixed to the center, on which theback part, A, turns, and the wheel 4 being fixed to the hinge part orcenter of the part B, on which it turns in being folded down to lie infront of or folded up to be in line with the part B. The wheels 2 and 3are merely for transmitting motion from thewheel l to the wheel 4, andit will be understood that the wheel 1 may gear directly with the wheel4 if they be made large enough in diameter, or that, if they be madesmaller, there may be a greater number than two transmitting-wheels,provided that they be arranged to give the necessary direction of motionto the part B. The side panels or windows, T, are arranged so that theycan fall down behind or between the fixed side panels.

The windows,when raised into position,may be automatically pressedoutward (which may be effected by springs) to rest and be supported uponthe sill of the framing, as in some railway-carriage windows; and toenable the they may fall behind or between the panels, there may beprovided wedges or cam-pieces p, which can be moved up through the sillto raise the windows and press the lower part thereof from off the silland over the space between the panels, into which space they drop. Thesewedges or cam-pieces 19 may be operated from the drivers foot-board bymeans of one central foot plate, rod, or lever, K, (hereinafter termedthe pedal K,) projecting therefrom and connected by alever, L, centeredat Z to a rod, M, to which the levers N N, Fig. 3, are connected, theselevers being centered at n n, and their outer ends, on, bearing on therear ends of levers O, centered at O, and carrying at their other endsthe rods P, to which the cam-pieces p are hinged, the said cam-pieces,as they are raised, being deflected on their centers by thepart of theopening through which they pass, so that when the windows are lifted bythe cam-pieces they are moved inward by the same into position fordropping into the space between the panels.

The parts of the hood or roof maybe secured together by any suitablehooks 0r fastenings, and fastenings may also be provided to secure thefolding part of the back to the upper folding parts of the back pillars,B. Studs engage driver to move them from this position, so that withholes in the lower ends of the parts 0 to hold the partsfirmlylaterally.

Handles may be provided by which the per parts of the pillars beingautomatically lowered by the cords or wheels aforesaid, and thefrontpart, D,of the roof is also folded back.

a Fig. 2 shows the parts open.

When the cab is to'be converted into a closed cab, as shown in. Fig. 1,the front part, D, of the roof is brought forward into position, andafterward the back portion, 0,

of the roof and the upper part A of the back are brought forward, theupper parts of the back pillars being raised automatically therewith bythe cords or wheels described. The parts are fastened together, iffastenings be employed, and then the windows are raised and rest uponthe sills, and the cab is then a closed vehicle.

The front part of the hood or roof and the front pillars or portions ofthe window-frames (which are formed in one therewith and fold backwardand forward with it) may be hinged by bars E F, centered to the body ofthe cab, and connected to the lower parts of the front pillars orportions of the window-frame at F, which may be provided with plates .F,which, when the parts are in their closed position, overlap the sides ofthe cab and support the parts laterally.

In order to adjust the balance of the cab when open, the driversfoot-board K may be hinged, so that it can be folded back beneath theseat, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The windows are raised bymeans of thecords t, Fig. 4, passing over the pulleys u and connected atone end to each of the windows and at the other end together, and to onecord common to both, or the said cords may be separate and be operatedindependently, if desired. A stud may be provided over which the loop ofthe cord is passed when the windows are up.

The springs are preferably a combination of ordinary springs, Q, and C-sprin gs R, as

shown in Figs. 1- and 2. The side windows are shown with anti-frictionwheels t to run in the grooves and give an easy action.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare thatwhat I claim is 1. The combination, in a convertible hansom-cab, ofvertically-movable side panels or windows, means, substantially asspecified, for raising and lowering the same from the drivers seat, arearwardly-folding back, rearwardlyfolding front pillars, and a dividedhood or roof composed of front and rear parts, which are'disconnectedfrom each' other and are at tached, respectively, to said front pillarsand to the upper part of said folding back, subhood or roof and to thelower part of the back,

substantially as described and illustrated.

3. In a convertible hansom-cab, the combination, with vertically-movableside panels or windows, of cam-pieces acting upon the same, a pedal foractuating said cam-pieces, and mechanical connections between saidpedals and cam -pieces, substantially as described and illustrated.

4. In a convertible hansom-cab, the combination, with vertically-movableside panels or windows, of cords and pulleys for raising the same fromthe drivers seat, substantially as described and illustrated.

5. In a convertible cab, the combination of transversely divided backpillars, a transversely-divided back, hinges uniting the parts of each,and mechanical connections, substantially as specified, between saidhinges, the combination being such that Y when one is moved the other isautomatically operated, substantially as described and illustrated.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES CLIFTON ROBINSON.

Witnesses: I

' SAM. P. WILD'ING,

RICHARD A. HOFFMANN.

